Times change, but not Greek faith, food
They use electric mixers now, as well as a pasta machine. But besides the addition of a few kitchen gadgets, little has changed in the preparation of the baklava and other delicacies served every year at the Greek Dinner Festival.
Even after 70 years.
“Everything’s the same,” said MaryLou Delegans, 77 and a longtime member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. “It’s been this way from the very beginning. Everyone loves the food, so why change a good thing?”
That sentiment, shared by many at this church of about 150 families, reflects the parish’s conviction about their own faith. Nothing has changed in the Orthodox Christian religion since it began 2,000 years ago, followers say. It started with Jesus and his apostles, and the tradition – including Greek, the language of the ancient Christian Church – continues today.
“Why change a good thing?” Delegans repeated, this time referring to her faith.
On Saturday, Delegans and other members of Holy Trinity continued to celebrate the tradition of both food and faith by serving more than 1,000 meals on the last day of the Greek Dinner Festival.
Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, hundreds of people gathered at the large brick church with the distinct towers on North Washington Street, waiting patiently in line as the smell of sizzling shish kebabs wafted in the air.
Inside the church, Delegans stood behind tables stacked with baklava and other tasty treats made of honey, butter, nuts, eggs and spices. For the last three weeks, she and dozens of parishioners baked a total of 20,000 pieces of pastries in the church’s basement. Only a warehouse like Costco could fulfill their shopping list: 850 pounds of flour, 262 pounds of butter, 225 pounds of sugar, 1,524 eggs …
“It’s a lot of work, but we have a ball,” said Delegans, who joined the church in 1947. “The camaraderie is wonderful.”
The annual event not only strengthens the friendship among parishioners; it’s also a chance to share their traditions with others in Spokane.
“It’s a way of extending our way of life and our hospitality to the community,” said Nick Damascus, another longtime member. “It’s a way for the community to experience Greek culture.”
Holy Trinity is a church built by Greek immigrants. Today, it’s becoming a melting pot of cultures. While about 30 percent of its members are of Greek descent, many are from Armenia, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Serbia, Russia and other parts of the world. Only a few remain fluent in Greek, but much of the liturgical music is still sung in the language of the church’s founders. The congregation recites the Nicene Creed – the Orthodox Church’s basic statement of faith – in both English and Greek. In recent years, they’ve also started saying the Lord’s Prayer in Russian, Delegans said.
Many who came to the festival also toured the church, including its sanctuary full of icons, stained-glass windows and gold. But the highlight, some said, was definitely the food.
“You never taste the same seasonings anywhere else,” said Susan Wall of Spokane, who hasn’t missed a Greek Dinner Festival in the last four years. Wall brought her friends for lunch on Saturday afternoon and she planned to return for dinner.
“Dessert is the best part,” she said.